Cleaning The Changing Rooms
by Anna-Cate
Summary: Lily is having a bad day. She's received the first detention of her life, and it wasn't even her fault. But running into company in the quidditch changing room isn't always a bad thing. Lily and James. Lily POV. Multi-chapter. T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Any title ideas would be greatly appreciated ~ mine is awful!**

Cleaning The Changing Rooms 

I sighed and handed my wand over. McGonagall marched out of the room, her nose held high in the air and slammed the door shut behind her.

I wrinkled my nose as the full force of the smell hit me now she had shut off the only source of clean air.

The quidditch changing rooms were a mess. Mud was spattered across all the surfaces, grass strewn across the floor. The sopping uniforms had been left in a pile in the corner, the scarlet robes vivid against the dull grey walls. I took a quick peek into the girls changing area; it was relatively clean, the only mess the mud that had been brought through on the girl's shoes, and I decided to start in here.

I filled up the bucket McGonagall had left me with freezing cold water from the outside tap, soaking myself in the process when the old rusting tap decided to splurge its water out _sideways,_ as if in protest at being used after so long. Adding cleaner I dragged it back into the changing room and kneeling down began scrubbing the floor.

It was repetitive, boring work, and my mind was left free to wonder back to the events of my awful day.

It had actually started out pretty well. The sun had been shining, there were croissants at breakfast and my hair was listening to me for once. It was in transfiguration that things began to go a bit topsy-turvy.

***This Morning***

I slid into my usual seat near the front of the class and began pulling my books out of my bag. I had already scratched the date onto the top of my parchment when I realised that Mary McDonald, a fellow Gryffindor and my partner for this class, was missing.

I swung around, trying to figure out where she was; I knew she had been at breakfast this morning. My eyes narrowed as they passed over the marauders at the back of the room who were sniggering loudly and trying so hard not to laugh that I knew something was wrong.

I huffed, and turned back to the front, glaring at the empty chair beside me, annoyed that Mary had abandoned me.

'Miss Evans.' McGonagall ordered as she strode to the front of the class, 'kindly find yourself a partner.' The Slytherins began sniggering at how much of a loner I was, and with a burning red face I scooped up my books and turned to find an empty chair.

My stomach dropped as I noticed James sprawled back in his chair smirking at me knowingly as I was forced by an irritated glare from McGonagall to sit down next to him.

'Hey, Lily.' Sirius sang, leaning forward to grin at me around James.

'Yeah, hey Lils' Mary laughed, she in turn leaning around Sirius.

'You-!' I started to ask Mary how she could betray me like this, but I was swiftly cut off.

'Miss Evans. I must insist that you hold your tongue.' McGonagall barked from the front of the class. I snapped my mouth shut and edged my chair down the desk until I was wedged in against the corner and as far away from Potter as physical possible. He, however, did not seem to take this as an insult, but more as an invitation to shuffle down after me.

'What are you doing?' I hissed, as soon as McGonagall turned towards the board. James looked at me with large innocent eyes. I glared right back and leaned further away so that my legs were under the desk but my torso was hovering somewhere in the aisle between our table and the Ravenclaws next to us. 'Stop following me!' I demanded a little louder than I had anticipated as James looked ready to shadow me across the desk.

'Miss Evans!' McGonagall snapped down her chalk and turned furiously to face me. 'This is _most_ uncommon. Please refrain from talking, or I will be forced into punishment.

'Sorry Professor.' I mumbled, my cheeks burning so hot I was sure James must have been able to feel the heat radiating off them. She turned back to the board and I had to bite down on my tongue to keep myself from lashing out at James when I heard him sniggering. Instead I aimed a low blow elbow shot which caught him nicely just below the ribs. He yelped in surprise rather than pain, but I took it as a success.

McGonagall however, did not seem to find this amusing in the slightest.

'I don't not know what's going on back there, Miss Evans and Mister Potter, but rest assured, it will _not_ be tolerated in my class, and even less from students in my _own_ house. 10 points _each_ from Gryffindor.' James seemed to take this in his stride, but my jaw dropped. _20 points_! 'Is there something you would like to add, Miss Evans?' McGonagall stared me down until I felt as though I had melted into a puddle in my chair.

'No Professor.'

'Good. Now if I could kindly carry on with my lesson.' And with a very annoyed swish, she turned back to the board.

I didn't risk taking a peek at James. No doubt he was laughing at my misfortune and I knew I wouldn't be able to stop a hostile reaction to him.

When McGonagall finally set the pair work, I turned toward him, ready to snap back an insult to whatever comment he was going to come out with, but no such action was required; James just began the work. No funny jokes, no chuckling away at my embarrassment, he just started scratching away with his quill.

And when I got stuck he helped. Like,_ really_ helped. It took him _2 minutes_ to explain a concept I had been struggling with for _2 weeks_!

'You're a really good teacher.' I told him.

'Thanks Lily.' He said sounding surprised at the praise, and reached up to ruffle his hair awkwardly.

'You're welcome' I answered automatically.

We lapsed into an awkward silence. At least it felt awkward to me; James didn't seem to notice it at all, just carried on practising his wand-work.

By the end of the lesson I was amazed to find I had actually understood what McGonagall had been teaching us, and laughed at loud at the concept of not having to stay up late tonight reading over all my notes in some vain hope of understanding what the hell I had been taught in transfiguration. Perhaps I should ask for James's help more often.

We all had Defence Against The Dark Arts next, and James, Sirius, Remus, Mary and I all trundled off together. The Professor this year was a little slow. Not in the mind, but _physically,_ slow. I took him minutes to write instructions on the board, and really, I don't know how he has survived this long being a Defence Against The Dark Arts Professor if he has a reaction time to contest with that of a quaffle.

I slid into my seat next to Sirius and waited for Professor Snale to turn around. I had my quill poised over my parchment, my ink pot sitting right next to it, ready to start taking notes. The thing with Snale was that although he moved slowly, he talked _fast_. And I don't just mean quickly, I mean he doesn't take breaths between sentences, and he strings his words together with no gaps so you have to listen really hard to work out where one word ended and the next began. It's so bad that all the Gryffindors have grouped together to take notes; one of us takes the first sentence, the next one the second and so on, and we decode and write these down. At the end of the lesson, we pool our notes together, and with help from the textbook normally manage work out what we were meant to have learnt that lesson. Some days were worse than others. Today was one of those days.

I had been given the 3rd sentence today, and things were going, well _not great_, but acceptably normal .Until Snale paused. Every student stopped scribbling and looked up at him. Snale never paused. That was just the rule of thumb in his class.

'Miss McDonald. Would you agree with this?' Everyone turned to stare at Mary. Her face went bright red and she managed to splutter out a quick 'yes?' that made it sound more like a question than an answer. Everyone twizzled back to the front, confusion plastered on their faces. Never before had Professor Snale asked a question in class.

'Very good. And you, Miss Evans. Why do you think this is an effective way of protecting you during battle?' My mouth dropped open and I scanned my notes in desperation. I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.

'Umm.' I swallowed and tried to think if something intelligent to say, but my mind had wiped itself clean of everything I had ever learnt; it was struggling just trying to form comprehensible sentences. 'Because it works?' I squeaked.

Snales face drew together in a look of thunder. 'Is that supposed to be funny?' He demanded, for once talking at a normal pace.

'I-I-I' My mouth had dried up and speech was impossible.

'I will not tolerate cheek in class. You may get away with that with other Professors in this school, but special allowances will not be made for Prefects inside my classroom. 20 points from Gryffindor.' I sat stunned. I had no idea what had just happened. I looked at Sirius, but he looked just as confused as I felt.

Giving up on asking questions, Snale shot straight back into dictating to the class and the stunned silence continued.

I was overjoyed when the bell rang and I could finally flee the room and my overwhelming embarrassment. James and Sirius burst out laughing as soon as they were through the door, both gripping their stomachs and bent in two.

'I've never seen you look so confused before in my life!' James wheezed. 'It must have been the first time I've ever known you not to give the correct answer in class.'

'Priceless' was all Sirius had to say on it. Remus gave me an apologetic glance and shrugged as if to say 'what you gonna do?'

My mood had been popped like a balloon and all I wanted to do now was eat. Apparently I wasn't even going to be allowed that, for as soon as I entered the Great Hall I saw McGonagall and Snale talking in the corner and I had a feeling I knew exactly what about.

I dumped myself onto the bench and began grabbing and swallowing any food within my reach before McGonagall came to find me, which I knew she would. I was halfway through taking a bite of a sausage when I felt a sharp tap on my shoulder. I quickly swallowed my food and turned to look up at the stony faced Professor.

'Miss Evans, if you wouldn't mind, I would like to have word.'

'Yes Professor.' I mumbled lamely, following her out into the Entrance Hall.

'I have just finished a most interesting conversation with Professor Snale.' She explained in a clipped tone. 'And he told me you gave him cheek in his lesson today?' She phrased it like a question, but her tone indicated she wished for no explanation. 'First you chatter in my class and then talk back to a Professor? This is most unlike you Miss Evans, and it is only your perfect record of behaviour that has kept you from a harsher punishment than the removal of points. As it is, one more slip up today, and I will have no option but to give you a fitting punishment.' Glaring at me, she turned on her heel and marched back into the Great Hall.

I stood still for a moment, too stunned to move. I had never been very good with getting told off. Even now, at 17 years old I had to fight back the tears that were threatening to spill over. I was angry at myself for being so upset about one small talking to, and I felt completely drained when the bell rang and I remembered I still had double potions to go before I could hide away under my duvet.

I sent up a small prayer of gratitude to Merlin that Slughorn was my last teacher for the day knowing in his eyes I could do no wrong.

James sprawled himself arrogantly in his chair beside me, but I bit my lip from passing any kind of remark and merely yanked my textbook out from where he was resting his head upon it. His head thumped onto the table and he shot straight up, yelping and rubbing his temple.

'Miss Evans!' A high pitched and extremely feminine voice barked. I shut my eyes and let out a deep breath, hoping that I had imagined that all too familiar voice. Turning slowly I saw Professor McGonagall standing in the doorway, her arms folded in front on her chest and her thin lips turned down in a scowl. _Luck was just not on my side today._ 'I don't know what had gotten into you today, but attacks on fellow students are _not_ acceptable at Hogwarts.

'I didn't attack him, he was lying on-' I began indignantly, but McGonagall cut me off.

'I suppose it is this kind of attitude that lost you 20 house points in Defence Against The Dark Arts earlier, Miss Evans? I warned you merely 10 minute ago that anymore misbehaviour today would result in a fitting punishment. You have detention. Meet me in my office at seven o'clock sharp. Do not be late.' She snapped. 'And wear something old.' She added as an afterthought.

McGonagall's tone warmed instantly when Slughorn emerged from his office, crumbs scattered down the front of his robes. 'Professor Slughorn, you don't mind if I borrow Mister Potter for a few moments, do you?'

'Not at all' Slughorn boomed, shaking out his robes. James pulled himself up, and shooting me an apologetic glance which I returned with a hardened glare, sauntered out of the room.

'Dear me, Lily. Are you feeling okay? You look a little flushed.' Slughorn enquired. I heard Sirius snicker behind me.

'I'm fine Professor.' He didn't look convinced but let the matter drop.

I had already begun chopping up the ingredients for our antidote when James slid back into his seat. 'Sorry about that, Lily.' James apologised straight away and he seemed so sincere that for a moment I actually believed him.

Snapping back to my senses just in time I sniffed and pushed a dish of fluxweed toward him. 'Shred that.' James sighed and did as he was told.

I sighed and dropped the brush into the bucket of water. One down, two to go.

I heaved the bucket from the girls changing room and emptied the filthy water outside. Refilling it I dragged it back in and decided to just get the boys changing area done and out of the way. I knew it was going to smell, but leaving it to last would just make me work slower on the main room as a means of procrastination.

I had not been wrong; the room reeked and there was mud splattered across every surface, clumps of the stuff hanging hardened from the ceiling. I wished I had my wand, but this was supposed to be a punishment and even though I believed it was extenuating circumstances that had landed me here, a wand would have made the task much too simple for a seventh year.

Pulling my sweater up to cover my nose I climbed up onto one of the benches and begun scrubbing the ceiling. The water slopped from the sponge and down the front of my clothes, but I was too determined to complete this job as quickly as possible and get to bed to bother to find a better way to clean the ceiling.

So caught up was I in my job that I was oblivious to the noises of someone entering the changing rooms from outside. And they too seemed oblivious to me, much too preoccupied in getting into the relative warmth of the changing rooms and climbing out of their wet gear.

Slap! The noise made me jump and I spun around to see who was there.

'Hey!' I yelled, more in surprise than anger, 'what are you – _oh_.' James was standing in the middle of the room, his clothes in a wet pile at his feet. I flushed bright red and jumped back around to face the wall.

'Lily!' James yelped, grabbing his towel and wrapping it around his bottom half. 'What are you doing here?' he squeaked.

'Detention.' I took a quick peek over my shoulder and turned an even deeper shade of crimson when James caught me looking. Thankfully he restrained himself from commenting on this.

'Oh yeah. I am sorry about that, Lily.' I waved off his apology, too embarrassed by this whole situation to feel any other emotion, including anger.

'What are you doing down here anyway, McGonagall told me there were no quidditch practises tonight.' Even to my own ears I sounded accusing, but James was either oblivious to this, or had become so used to me accusing him that he replied as though I had made no more than a polite enquiry.

'Oh, it wasn't a scheduled practise. I just came down to have a fly.' I, not being exactly a fan of heights, could not understand why flying in the rain would sound alluring to anyone, but to each their own. 'So what exactly _is_ your detention? James asked as he pulled on his trousers.

'Oh, I have to clean the changing room.' I sighed.

'It's been a pretty crappy day for you too, huh?'

'Yup.' I said to the wall.

'You can turn around now, Lily.' James chuckled. When I did he had his head stuck in his sweater and where his hands were above his head a thin sliver his stomach was visible between his belt and the bottom of his t-shirt. I quickly averted my gaze when James finally got his head through the hole, but from his pleased smile I guess he knew what I had been looking at.

'So how far have you got?' He asked. I looked back at him, bemused.

'What?'

'With the cleaning, how far have you got?'

'I've done the girl's area. But I've still gotta do in here, and the communal area.' I grumbled.

'So you could really do with a hand?' He raised his eyebrows at me.

I narrowed my eyes. 'What do you want?' I asked.

'Forgiveness.' _I knew there would be a catch._

'For what?'

'For getting you stuck here in the first place.' He said simply, leaning casually against the wall.

I looked at him for a while, but saw no reason why I shouldn't accept his offer; I mean, the guy had a wand.

'Okay.'

'Okay…' James laughed.

'Okay, _I forgive you_.' I jumped down from my bench.

'Much better', James chuckled. He dug his wand out of back pocket and with a quick wave the entire place was spotless.

My shoulders sagged with relief. 'Thank you, James.' James froze and gave me a peculiar look.

'Any time.'

'Does that mean 'any time you're in detention I'm more than happy to come bust you out'?' I joked.

'No, that means any time you need me, I'll be here.' Now it was my turn to freeze.

'James…' I trailed off, my words catching in my throat. There must have been something in the way I said his name because he shrugged himself off the wall and strode toward me.

'Yeah?' He murmured, stooping down so that he was looking me in the eye.

'Just that, I know you have Sirius and Remus and Peter… But, you know, if you ever need anyone, I'll be here for you too.' I rushed the words out, letting them spill over my tongue before pride could make me stop.

James's eyes widened in surprise, and I felt my heartbeat stutter when the corner of his mouth flicked up into an arrogant smirk.

He was so close I could smell the scent rolling of his skin, and his breath tickling my chin. His damp hair had fallen forward into his hazel eyes, and his skin was splotchy from wind burn.

No longer able to control myself I took a deep breath and launched myself at him. Throwing my arms around his neck I kissed him full on the mouth. James stumbled backward, his arms encircling my waist as we slammed back into the wall.

James, who had appeared unable to move at first, caught on quickly and his hot mouth pressed backs hard against mine.

I was a complete novice in this area and I was only too happy to let James take control of the kiss, his lips slowing down from the frenzied attack they had been at the start, to a gentler, more sensitive manoeuvre.

When we finally detached our mouths I took a huge gasp of breath, my chest rising and falling rapidly and my heart smashing against my ribcage.

'And to think all I asked for was forgiveness.' James teased, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear before trailing his fingertips lightly along my jaw.

I gave him a slight elbow in the gut and leaned up to continue where we had left off, but James leaned away from me. Confused, I followed him, but once again he moved his head away.

'James?' I asked perplexed by how he was acting. He wanted this, _didn't he_? He was still gripping me tightly in his arms, but he was refusing to kiss me.

'Lily, will you go to Hogsmeade with me on Saturday?' He asked, eyes wide and full of hope.

I froze, and looked up at him. 'James, I don't know if that's a good idea…' My thoughts went straight to how Severus would react.

'What do you mean?' James asked, his eyes brimming with hurt.

'I just don't know if I'm ready for that kind of statement.' I explained, willing him to understand. I pushed myself in closer to him, and his grip around me tightened in response.

'What do you mean, 'that kind of statement'?' He demanded. 'You can't just kiss me like that and then tell me it meant nothing to you.' His eyes were burning with fury and rejection but when I tried to take a step back from him his arms refused to relinquish their hold on me.

'I'm not saying it doesn't mean anything to me; it, _you_, mean a lot to me. I just don't know if we should make what we're doing common knowledge.' James seemed to soften at the mention of 'we'.

'_Why not_, Lily? We've nothing to be ashamed of. Why _can't_ I tell everyone that you're my girlfriend?' James had a way of making everything sound so reasonable.

'It's not just us I'm thinking about.' I knew as soon as the words left my lips that they were the wrong thing to say.

James's whole stance became stiff and formal. 'It's him, isn't it?' He asked, letting go of me and stepping away like I had dragonpox. He gave a self-depreciating chuckle. 'I'll always be competing with him, won't I?' Shaking his head he picked up his bag and stormed from the changing room, slamming the door behind him.

I let out a huge breath I hadn't realised I had been holding and slumped to the floor.

This really has been a bad day.

**A/N: This had begun as a one-shot, but the plot seemed to stretch and refigure itself on the paper and it has advanced into a two-shot, or possibly multi-chapter fic depending how James and Lily react in the next chapter. **

**Let me know what you think, **

**Anna-Cate xxx**


	2. Chapter 2

Waking up the next day was not easy. Mary helped me along by lobbing my school shoes at my head.

I grumbled and fell out of my bed. I was still half dressed from the night before and my eyes felt like they were glued shut.

'Well, aren't you a pretty sight this morning.' Marlene giggled as she walked out of the bathroom, her makeup set perfectly. I groaned back some semblance of a response and fumbled around on the floor for my robes. I found them in a wet heap at the end of my bed, mud plastered up the left side.

'Ergh'. I marched into the bathroom and jumped into the shower. The hot water succeeded in waking me up.

After hanging my towel up to dry I vanished the mud from my robes, and managed to steam away most of the water, although the cuffs and collar where still a little damp, but wearable.

Mary and Marlene were still preening in the mirror when I left the bathroom, and surprisingly, I was the first one to leave the dorm. Unfortunately, James also seemed to be waiting for his friends in the common room: I had really been hoping for a little more time to prepare myself for seeing him, so as soon as I realised he was there I turned and ran back up the stairs.

Subtlety however, is not my _strongest_ suit and my plan was quickly foiled.

'So this is how it's going to be then, Evans?' Potter called up the stairs after me. I turned around slowly on my heel, eyes lowered in embarrassment. He was leaning against the bottom of the staircase, one hand in his pocket the other messing casually with the back of his hair.

'Hmm? I asked, deciding that feigning innocence would be the best option here. 'I forgot my wand…' I trailed off from the lie when I noticed that I was holding it in my hand. 'Oops.'

I was expecting anger, or at least annoyance from the boy, but instead he just titled his head back and burst out laughing.

Still chuckling he shrugged himself off the wall and turned away from me as Remus arrived at the bottom of the boy's stairs. 'See ya around, Evans.' He called over his shoulder sauntering from the common room.

I was left standing alone and bemused at the bottom of the staircase. Had _James Potter_ just given up the chance to walk with me down to breakfast? He usually tagged along with me even when I had expressly told him 'no'.

Mary and Marlene gave me peculiar looks when we walked into breakfast and I automatically sat down next to James. Theirs, however, were nothing compared to the bemused look on James's face. It looked like he had just swallowed a flubberworm.

Sirius was grinning like an idiot, a mouthful of eggs showing from between his teeth. It being so obvious that James had gotten around to telling his friends what had happened last night, made me flicker a guilty look at Mary and Marlene, who were hovering awkwardly behind me, unsure how to react.

'Marlene, gorgeous, come sit next to me!' Sirius requested, sweeping his arm at the seat next to him. Marlene looked alarmed but sat down anyway, shuffling a little further toward Peter. Remus sent Mary a small smile and shuffled his pile of books down the bench to make room for her. She perched herself timidly on the edge of the bench.

Honestly, I thought to myself, it's not like we don't sit with these boys every day during class. _Sure_, we never really sit with them during _meals_, but we're all in the same year, all in Gryffindor, it makes sense to eat together, no?

As logical an argument as this sounded in my head, when I took a quick peek up at James only to have him catch me looking, I couldn't help blushing at the awkwardness of the whole situation. Why, oh _why_, hadn't I just sat alone with the girls like every other morning?

Of course this wasn't exactly like every other morning. This was the morning after I had kissed James. James _Potter_! Oh Merlin.

And that isn't even the worst part, oh no. The worst part is that I don't regret it. Not one little bit. It had felt _natural _to sit next to him this morning, _un_natural to force myself to avoid him earlier on the staircase and absolutely _awful_ to feel the stab of rejection when he left me behind in the common room.

'Hello.' I grinned up at him way too excitedly and quickly grabbed a piece of toast to cover my traitorous mouth.

James gave me a polite grin, his eyebrows crinkled together in confusion. 'Alright, Evans?' I nodded my head quickly and turned to make conversation with Remus. I thought I heard James mumble 'oh-_kay_ then' but I couldn't be sure, and there was no way I was turning back around to ask him if he had said something.

The bell for first period could not ring quickly enough.

Defence Against The Dark Arts was not fun. Sirius spent the entire time whispering questions at me under his breath, so that by the end of the lesson I was about ready to rip my hair out.

Also, James was sitting one desk across from me, and I couldn't help it if my eyes happened to stray _occasionally_ towards him when they were wandering around the room. He, however, had his eyes planted firmly on Professor Snale, and was paying absolutely _zero_ attention to me at all.

Potions was awful; once again James ignored me, paying strict attention when Slughorn was lecturing and cutting all the ingredients perfectly, talking to me only when absolutely necessary. The potion did turn out to be the best in the class, _even beating Snape_, but that was beside the point.

I hadn't thought it possible, but lunch was even more awkward than breakfast. Us girls arrived first and took our seats. We'd already begun eating when the boys walked in and although Sirius immediately dumped himself down next to Mary, James hovered hesitantly by the bench, his eyes straying to an empty spot further down the table. I ducked my head and began shovelling mash potato into my mouth and pretended to not have noticed his arrival.

In the end Peter took the empty seat to my right. James tried to grab the spot next to Marlene but Remus managed to scramble his way in there first; whether this was a tactical move on James's behalf or if he was just trying to avoid more awkward conversation with me like this mornings, I would never know.

James was therefore forced to sit on my other side, and I stiffened reflexively, straightening myself out of my slumped position. I turned and gave him a quick nod.

'So, Transfiguration next, huh?' I said nodding like a bobble-head dog.

'Yup.' He answered, popping his 'P' loudly.

'Hmm.' I replied articulately, rubbing my eye for an excuse to look away from him. As soon as I dropped his gaze he began piling food onto his plate. Within seconds his mouth was so full he wouldn't have been able to speak even if he had wanted to.

Making up some lame excuse about needing to go the library, I grabbed all my stuff and walked away as quickly as I could without making it obvious that, mentally at least, I was running away.

I was too lazy to walk all the way up to the Gryffindor common room to have to come all the way back down for Herbology again anyway, so, finding a little-known alcove, I huddled in behind the tapestry and slid down the wall and onto the floor. I let out a deep breath and tried to order my muddled thoughts.

Okay, just go through them, I thought to myself. List all the points like you would for an essay, and then we'll go from there.

_I know that James Potter likes me_

_He kissed me last night. _

_I kissed him back. _

_I liked it. _

_I like James Potter_

_I must be crazy_

_James Potter is nothing like Severus Snape_

_Pros__: He isn't trying to eradicate everyone of my blood status._

_He isn't going to work for someone that wants to see me dead. _

_He will always have my back._

_Cons__: Severus was sweet._

_He introduced me to magic; he's part of my childhood. (So is James. He was the first person you met at Hogwarts, besides Sev, __**and **__he's in your house.)_

_James Potter hates him. (But so do you now, Lily. Why do I have to keep reminding you of that?) And is that even a con?_

_James Potter is avoiding me now anyway. _

_James Potter regrets what he did last night and is questioning why he ever wanted to go out with me in the first place. Clearly, I was the biggest let down __**ever**__. _

_Therefore this list doesn't matter because a relationship needs two people to work._

_You caused this by thinking about a complete arse that hurt you a year ago and from whom you still haven't moved on. Why did you think about what he wanted behind what you wanted? Clearly James is good for you. Clearly you should have said yes to him._

_It doesn't matter how many times you say 'clearly' Lily, obviously things aren't clear or you wouldn't be referring to yourself in 3__rd__ person. _

I screwed up the piece of parchment I had been scribbling on when the bell rang and stuffed it into my cloak pocket.

Herbology passed relatively evenly, due in the most part, to the fact that James and his posse worked at the other end of the greenhouse to me. Not that that stopped me from ogling him every few minutes, although, to my intense disappointment, I never caught him looking back.

As soon as the bell rang for the end of the day I legged it from the greenhouse, not noticing in my haste to get away that a very important piece of parchment had fallen from my cloak pocket.

**A/N: Oooooh, Cliff-hanger. Those of you who have read my longer fic 'Love Is Lily' will know that when I say 'cliff-hanger' I do not really mean this, what I mean is: I am too tired to write anymore tonight so read this while I finish up the end of this chapter :)**

**So you're probably right, I don't deserve a review, but your all amazing readers so you will anyway? Pretty please? I promise L/J fluff in the next chapter (*I do have my fingers crossed here, so don't hold this against me later). **

**Love, Anna-Cate xxx**


	3. Chapter 3

I knew that at some point I was going to have to talk to James, but right now, all I wanted to do was eat. It was with this attitude that Potter found me just as I was leaving the library and heading down to the Great Hall for dinner.

'Hey, Lily.' He greeted me calmly, matching his long legged pace to mine.

'Hello.' I squeaked back. 'How was your day?'

'Fine thanks. Yours?'

'Fine… too.'

'Good.' Never before in my life had polite pleasantries ever been so awkward. We walked in uncomfortable silence for a couple of flights of stairs, until James unexpectedly turned off down a corridor leaving me behind with no hint of a farewell. I stopped walking and stared at his receding back, dumbfounded.

About halfway down the corridor James's head swivelled to the side and finally noticed that I wasn't following him. He turned to face me.

'Are you coming?' He bellowed down the corridor.

'I was going to dinner.' I explained just as I felt my tummy let out a low rumble.

'Yeah…' James drawled, giving me an odd look.

'It's this way.' I said, pointing in the direction we had been heading before James had decided to take his detour.

I will admit that I felt a little offended when James began laughing at me. 'Lily, as a marauder I've learnt a few things over the years. And if you dat-' he hesitated a moment here and then quickly decided to rephrase what he was saying '_walk_ with a marauder, you'll pick up a few things too.

'If you say so.' I replied sceptically, allowing James to pull me off down the corridor, but having a pretty good idea that once we reached the end of it he would realise his mistake and turn back around.

I sighed heavily when we got to the dead end. 'Well, that window does hold a very nice view.' I said, the hunger making me a little snarky, 'but it doesn't get us any closer to the food.' When I turned to see what James's defence to his stupidity was, I found myself facing an empty corridor.

'James?' I called out tentatively, looking around. I heard his tell-tale chuckle and spun around to where I had thought the noise had come from. There was nothing but an old tapestry hanging on the wall. 'James, are you there?' I called out again. 'This isn't funny!' I called when I heard no response, a hint of panic beginning to creep into my throat.

'Come on Lily. I know you're smarter than this.' I heard his teasing voice echo around me, the sound seeming to come from within the wall itself.

Feeling utterly foolish I pressed my ear up against the stone wall and began talking to it. 'James? You in there?' I was rewarded with a quick burst of laughter. Narrowing my eyes I spun toward the tapestry I had noticed earlier and wondering what the hell I was doing, pulled it back and took a quick peek behind it. What I saw left me speechless. There was a hollow passage behind it, and standing inside, his silhouette slighter darker than the air around him and grinning so wide his lips must be hurting, was James.

'Bleeding hell.' I proclaimed, stepping into the small passage and swatting James in the arm for good measure. 'I didn't know this was here!'

'Not many people do.' James said, walking backward and further into the passage.

'Where are you going?' I called out, squinting into the dark, struggling to make out his shape against the dark background.

'To get some food. I thought you were hungry?' He answered this so casually, it raised my suspicions immediately.

'You know where this goes?' I asked, bewildered.

'Of course.' James grinned.

Then it hit me. 'This is how you get away with so much trouble!' I announced. 'You know a whole bunch of escape routes!'

James sniffed. 'Well, yes, these passages can be helpful, but I like to think that our wit and irresistible charm also play a part in the Professors appreciation of the marauders.'

I had to laugh at this. 'I'm not quite sure 'appreciation of the marauders' is how I would describe the relationship you guys have with McGonagall.'

James winced like I'd hit him. 'Oh, low blow, Evans. I'll have you know that McGonagall can, at times, appreciate our pranks. You know, one time, Sirius swears she offered him a biscuit when he was called into her office. Peter was devastated; he's never been offered one.'

'I can't imagine why.' It was supposed to sound sarcastic but my overwhelming fascination at moving ever farther into the unknown passage made it sound sort of dreamy.

'Where does this go?' I wondered aloud, squinting into the endless darkness.

'You'll see.' James answered mysteriously, no doubt with an arrogant smirk plastered across his lips.

We'd been walking, well James had been walking and I'd been stumbling along after him, for about a minute when quite abruptly the flashing of James's glasses that I'd been following, disappeared. Not thinking too much about why this might happen I carried on walking. Straight into a brick wall.

'OWW!' I cried, blood streaming down my face.

James came rushing back up the passage, lighting his wand as he did so (which only made me feel even more idiotic; why the hell didn't I do that?). 'What happened?' He asked, squinting at my face.

'I think I broke my nose.' I mumbled, my hand hovering just over it, feeling the need to apply pressure like you did to mysteriously heal all wounds when you were little, but knowing that was a stupid idea, having now learnt from experience that touching it would only make it throb painfully.

James stepped forward and drew my hand away so he could get a better look. 'How in Merlins name did you manage to do that?' he asked.

'Well someone didn't tell me that there was a turn coming up!' I accused him nasally.

He looked down at me sheepishly. 'Oops.'

I rolled my eyes, and we both stood silently for a moment, staring at each other. James hadn't released my hand and from the way he was gripping it, I'm not sure he planned to.

He began to lean in but I cut him off. 'This actually really hurts.' I complained, pointing to my nose.

'Oh, yeah.' James coughed. 'Um, hospital wing?' I nodded and he spun us around and we walked back the way we came. 'I really am sorry about that.' He told me over his shoulder. 'I've just never had to think about being in here with someone who doesn't know where they're going. I just forgot to tell you there was turn coming up.'

I shook my head slightly. 'No big deal. It's only a broken nose.'

_No big deal? _I thought to myself_. It feels like my face is on fire!_

Madam Pomfrey took one look at the blood pooled down the front of my shirt and knew what had happened. Sitting me down on the edge of the bed she gave a sharp flick of her wand and I felt my nose crunch painfully back into place. Even James winced a little, rubbing his nose unconsciously.

'All done.' Madam Pomfrey trilled, hurrying me out. I gave James a bemused look but he seemed only too happy to allow her to scurry him from the room.

Once we were outside and the doors had been shut firmly behind us, James shook himself from head to toe, giving the overall effect of a wet dog.

'What are you doing?' I asked dryly, surprising myself when my voice didn't come out low and nasally.

'Ergh. Shaking off the_ feel_ of that place. I hate it. Ergh, I just spend _way_ too much of my time in there.'

'From quidditch?' I asked. James squirmed uncomfortably under my gaze.

'Yeah… quidditch. It's a dangerous game, you have all those bludgers flying around... the beaters are supposed to protect you from them, but I mean, even Sirius isn't flawless-'

'James.' I laughed, cutting him off. 'You're rambling.' _And hiding something. _

'Oh, right.' He chuckled softly, before making a swift subject change. 'You still hungry?'

'Starving.' My tummy rumbled loudly, backing up my point.

'Got it. This way.' James said, pointing over his shoulder before turning on his heel and gliding off. I stood where I was, looking down the corridor at the way I would have gone. Sighing and wondering what the hell I was doing, I turned and ran after James, falling into step beside him.

'How's the nose?' He asked guiltily.

'Fine.' I answered honestly. 'Madam Pomfrey is amazing.'

'That she is.' James agreed, stopping suddenly and sweeping aside another tapestry to reveal a narrow set of steps leading down into the darkness. Thinking ahead this time, I lit my wand before venturing any farther in.

'Stop!' James bellowed when I was halfway down the steps. I froze with my foot still hanging in the air, panicked.

'What?'

'I almost forgot, there's a trick step, you have to jump it.' He commanded. Nodding, I hopped the next step and continued, albeit a little more cautiously, down the stairs.

I let out a short scream when James shouted at me to freeze the next time. 'What?' I whispered, the panic in his voice scaring me.

'Nothing.' He chuckled. 'You just look funny balancing like that.' He grinned and chucked me under the chin.

'You're mean, you know that?'

James just leant his head back and let out a loud peal of laughter, overtaking me and carrying on down the stairs. 'I think you've mentioned it before' he wheezed when he was finally able to speak.

It wasn't long before the stairs ended and James pushed aside a suit of armour, letting a sliver of daylight into the dark passage.

James indicated that I should leave first, and taking a quick peek I edged myself out from behind the armour. We were on a 2nd floor corridor, our transfiguration classroom across the hall. There were a few students milling about, but none of them seemed to notice my random appearance.

I walked a little farther down the hall and, deciding I should act natural while I waited for James, leaned casually against the wall.

'What_ are_ you doing?' James's voice questioned from behind me, making me jump out of my skin in fright.

'Acting natural.' I sniffed.

'You finished?'

'Yep, I'm done.' I announced, pushing myself off the wall when I realised that the boys down the hall weren't staring at me because I looked like badass motor-chick, but because my skirt had hiked up to indecent levels where my foot was propped up against the wall. _Some girls just can't pull off sexy. _

'Thought so.' James coughed, stepping in-between me and the 6th years.

'Dinner?' I squeaked in attempt to get moving as quickly as possible. My face was now bright red, my integrity in shreds at my feet. James's eyes were flashing with laughter and to be honest, I think he was finding this whole thing far too amusing. 'Let's go.' I instructed, marching off. James followed close behind, his lips clamped together, his body shaking in silent laughter.

'If you tell anyone about this!' I threatened, and he held his hand up in front of him.

'I won't.' He was still laughing.

'Jeez James, it wasn't that funny.'

'I know.'

'So why are you _laughing_?'

'You have a bit of something…' He mumbled, pointing to his nose.

I stroked my face in confusion. 'Oh, crap.' I sighed when dried flakes of blood came off in my hand. 'Madam Pomfrey is not as amazing as I thought she was.'

'Whoa, Lily. Take that back.' James said seriously. I rolled my eyes.

'Why didn't you tell me?' I asked.

'I just did!'

'Humph.' I turned to follow the stream of traffic down to dinner, rubbing my face with the back of my sleeve (which I now noticed was also stained with dried blood), when a strong hand shot out, twizzled me around by the shoulder and navigated me through the throng of oncoming traffic.

'Err, where are we going?' I asked. 'There cannot be a shorter way to the Great Hall than down those steps.' I argued.

James shrugged. 'That may or may not be true, but we're not going to the Great Hall.'

I actually snorted at this. 'Well, you might not be, but I'm starving, so…' I made to turn around but James grabbed my hand and just kept dragging me along in the wrong direction.

'We're going to be eating. Just not in the Great Hall.' I immediately stopped my struggle to escape James's grip. 'Thought that might calm you down.' He laughed. I sniffed and tried to act aloof to all of James's little jokes; the truth was the mention of eating _had_ settled my nerves. Although now my curiosity had also been peeked.

'Where in Hogwarts can you get food other than the Great Hall?'

'It amazes me how little you seem to know about the Great castle you live in.' James shook his head in disappointment. 'Stick with me, child, and I will reveal unto you secrets you would not believe.' He drawled, taking on a mystic, faraway voice.

I couldn't even think of a response to that so just shook my head and followed James down into dungeons.

'Where are we going?' I asked, eyes roaming the damp stone walls.

'You really have a thing about knowing where you're going, don't you?' When James made no further comment it became clear that this was the only answer I was going to get, and I continued to follow him moodily down the under lit passageways.

'Here we are!' he announced, stopping abruptly next to a large painting of a bowl of fruit.

'Actually James, I was kind of hoping for food that I could actually _eat_.' I said slowly, prodding the painting cautiously with one of my fingers. I jumped back into James when the painting let out a curiously high giggle. I stared in alarm as the frame swung open to reveal a high archway, rolls of heat bursting from within and out into the corridor.

'It wasn't me, I swear.' I raised my hands in front of me, denying all connection with whatever had just happened and planning to blame everything on James.

'Calm down Lily, this is it.' James laughed, rolling his eyes and walking around me.

'This is what?' I asked, peeking around James's large frame suspiciously.

'The entrance to hell…' James mocked, taking that mystical tone again. I could almost see him walking around with a crystal ball and long sequinned scarves.

'Well, it _would _explain the heat.' I mumbled, following him in. 'It wouldn't explain the house elves, though.' I said slowly, feeling totally idiotic.

'This is the kitchen, Lily.' James announced, throwing his arms wide as if to showcase the amazingness that was the steaming hot room.

I, however, was not quite ready to acknowledge this yet. 'The kitchens?' I repeated.

'Yeah. It's where they cook the food.' James enunciated slowly, bending down to look me mockingly in the eye like I was a stupid 3-year-old who was struggling to grasp the concept of Lego.

'They cook the food. Here?' I asked in amazement, finally taking a moment to look around. There were ovens and cookers lining the walls around 5 replica tables from the Great Hall above. Steaming food was being carted by the pintsized house elves onto the already overloaded silver serving plates.

'Well it has to be cooked somewhere. Where did you think all the food came from?' James asked, one eyebrow raised questioningly.

'I dunno.' I mumbled. 'I never really thought about it.' I admitted, feeling guilty that all these years I had been gorging on food with no thought for the house-elves being forced to cook in the sweltering heat below me.

'Mr. Potter!' One little house elf squeaked from under me, her huge eyes shining up at James. 'It's nice to see you again, sir!'

'Good evening, Dickory.' James replied politely.

'And hello to you to, Miss.' She added, turning to look up at me, her eyes lingering long enough upon my nose to make me feel an edge paranoid.

'Evans.' James chipped in, one hand jumping to his hair.

'Miss Evans.' The elf squeaked, a knowing sparkle entering her eye and making me wonder how often the marauders were down here and what they discussed when they were.

'Hi.' I smiled, sticking my hand out in a greeting. Dickory froze and turned to look up at James, as if to check if I was mentally well. I retracted my hand and tucked it self-consciously behind my back, embarrassed once again by my lack of wizard knowhow.

James took a step closer to me and looked like he was going to place a reassuring hand on my back but changed his mind at the last minute and let his hovering hand drop heavily to his side. 'I'm starving! What's for dinner?' James asked loudly.

Dickory produced two empty plates from mid-air and gestured to the tables behind her. 'Roast chicken, sir.' And with a slight bow she turned and returned to her work.

I wanted to check with James if we were allowed to just go up and start taking food, but when I turned to ask he was already gone.

'That's disgusting.' I let him know as he clamped a chicken drumstick between his teeth to retain the use of both of hands; one was ladling gravy over his potatoes and the other trying to balance the plate piled so high with food it looked like The Leaning Tower of Pisa. I took a cautious step away from that catastrophe waiting to happen and took some normal size portions of food. Following James's (precarious) lead I grabbed some cutlery and sank to the floor by the exit, my back pressed up against the wall.

We sat eating in silence for a while, both happy to gorge to the sounds of scraping knives and forks and the bustle of the busy house-elves. Although James had at least double the amount of food on his plate, he finished before me and kept pinching stray potatoes from my plate. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts I finally managed to jab him with my fork, and after a very feminine squeal he got up and walked off.

After an intense moment of panic in which I wondered if I'd actually annoyed him, James returned him with _another _plate; this one filled full of desserts. I quickly lost interest in the rest of my potatoes and I pushed the plate off my lap and smiled hopefully at James.

He held his head aloft and pretended not to notice my eyes boring into him. I sidled up a little closer to him and blinked up, in what I hoped to be an alluring way at him. Swallowing the last bite of his danish he stretched out his hand and clenched it, wincing slightly before peering down at me.

I rolled my eyes, but upon seeing the awfully long trek to the desert table, decided that I would play along.

'Sorry.' I tried to sound sincere but form the look of James's face I was not pulling it off. 'My fork must have slipped.' I tried to explain, reaching out and taking James's _wounded_ hand.

He coughed awkwardly and slipped his hand out of mine. 'Here.' He offered, picking up an éclair. I smiled, happy that my feminine charm wasn't completely absent. I reached out to take it, but was taken completely by surprise when it was thrust into my face, smearing cream and chocolate icing all over me.

I little out a small scream and grabbed a creamy cake and dropped it bottom-up on top of Potter's stupid hair. He laughed and twizzled the pie plate of my reach, sticking his tongue out to try and catch any stray streams of cream dripping from his head.

I was laughing so hard I was finding it hard to find catch breath, and when I finally stopped I collapsed, exhausted, onto James's shoulder. He stiffened and I automatically cringed away from him.

And that was it; I lost my temper. I had been struggling all day with whether to be angry or upset, but I had finally decided.

'Why have you been avoiding me all day?' I all but yelled into his face. He seemed quite shocked by my outburst, and looking at it from his perspective, it probably did seem a bit unexpected. But it was because we were having such a good time that annoyed me; did he not want this?

'What do you mean?' He asked, placing his plate on the floor and sliding it away. Well at least I had his full attention.

'I _mean_' I huffed, annoyed that I had to explain myself when I thought my meaning should be perfectly obvious, 'all day you've been acting weird. Avoiding me at mealtimes-'

'I sat next to you breakfast_ and_ lunch. And technically we're sitting next to each other at dinner, too.' He shot back. I trollied on regardless.

'Not talking to me in class-'. Once again James cut me off.

'Last week I was, how did you put it? 'Clouding your concentration with meaningless babble' and this week your annoyed that I'm actually paying attention?' James's continual logic was irking me.

'There's paying attention, and then there was _you_. Not something I ever thought I'd say, but seriously Potter; suddenly you've decided to go all teachers pet?'

'Jealous, Evans?' James grinned, seemingly unable to pass up the opportunity to tease me.

'Hardly.' I scoffed, rolling my eyes. From the smirk on James's face he was not buying any of my pretend casualness.

'Well, what about this morning?' I shouted, jumping up onto my knees when I remembered one thing that I knew James couldn't reason his way around.

'This morning?' He repeated back at me.

'Yes, this morning! You went to breakfast without me.'

For the first time in a long time I saw James look like he was about to flip his lid.

'How in Merlins name have you managed to make that sound like _you_ were the one who got hurt there? You walk down the stairs, see me, then _run back up them?_'

'James.' I whispered, feeling ashamed of myself. I dropped back down onto the floor and claimed James's hands in my own. 'I'm _so _sorry. I was just so confused this morning and I just needed time to think about what had happened.'

'It's understandable, Lily. But you could have told me. I've just spent the whole day fretting over the fact that you haven't mentioned anything, wondering if you wanted anything more to come of it, or if you were just going to pretend like it never happened.' He admitted.

'How could anyone have pretended that didn't happen?' I smiled.

'Well I couldn't, but I wasn't sure about you. You've got other people to think about after all.' James said frankly, and I knew I wasn't imagining the underlying edge of malice in his voice. He and Snape were just never going to see eye to eye, and for the first time ever, that thought actually made me smile. His belief however, that I cared more about Snape than him peeled back the layer of calm that had enveloped me and returned me to my earlier anger.

'Oh, come off it Potter. Snape hasn't meant anything to me for _ages_. He's a creep and I don't know why I even _mentioned_ him. I didn't mean it. I was just freaked out by the whole thing and I said what I'd been telling myself to think since first year; that Snape had to come first. That's no longer the case, _obviously_, but it's unfortunately still my first reaction.' I looked up from where I was talking to my fingernails to check how he was talking all this. He appeared to be surprisingly calm about the whole thing; I took this as permission to continue with my explanation.

'I'd gone down to the quidditch pitch expecting detention. You wanted me to emerge with a _boyfriend_. I'm a _planner _James, and that, _that _wasn't planned. That was never even considered, thought, _dreamt_ about.' I bit down on my tongue when I saw the hurt flash through James's eyes.

I gave his hands a reassuring squeeze and shuffled myself closer to him. 'And looking back, I don't know it wasn't. Because honestly, James; you're amazing. And I've been blind these past couple of months, because you've been amazing for a while now, and I was just _too_ stubborn, _too_ proud, to let myself think that you could have changed and risk being hurt.'

The words were rushing out thick and fast now; I had no control over what was going to leave my mouth next. All I knew was that it felt so good to finally be able to someone all the feelings that had been rushing around in my head for the past year.

'He was my best friend, James, my_ best friend_.' If James thought the abrupt subject change was at all odd, he didn't let on. 'I loved him. And he hurt me. Over and over and over again. And he finally went too far. And it felt good to have something to blame. Some_one_ to blame.' I admitted, looking up into James's eyes. In them I found total acceptance; no anger, no hatred. Just concern, compassion.

I hadn't realised I was crying until James brushed away my tears with his thumbs and pulled me into his arms. 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.' I hiccupped, wiping my nose and laughing a little when I saw the pink streak left across my hand. 'I loved him, I really loved him. And it hurts, James, it hurts so bad.'

'If there's one thing I understand Lily, it's heartbreak.' He mumbled into my hair. I shook my head in remorse.

'I've been a total bitch to you over the years.'

'Rarely was it without cause.'

'I know. But I'm sorry nonetheless.

'Thankyou. And if it means anything, I'm sorry too. I was total arse to Snape for five years. And as much as I wish I could go back and change how I acted, I can't. Just know that I regret what I've done to him, and therefore to you, for a long time now. You were right you know. I was a bullying toe-rag, and I didn't deserve you how I was back then. The same way Snape doesn't deserve you _now_.' I let out a strangled sob and James kissed the top of my head.

'I know that in a couple of years I will probably regret ever asking you this' James began resignedly, 'but can you just promise me that, whenever this may be, whether in 2 years or 2 days; if Snape ever does change and tells you that he regrets what he's done, try and forgive him the way you've forgiven me.' I lifted my head up from James's chest, and looked amazed, into his eyes.

'You know, you really have changed.'

'You don't know how much that killed me inside to say.' He chuckled.

'But you said it anyway.' I breathed. 'But you shouldn't worry too much. I think it's safe to say that he's chosen which side he intends to fight this war on. But I promise anyway.'

**A/N: A bit of a topsy-turvy chapter! But also, for those of you interested; my longest chapter ever! I'm quite proud :D**

**So review and let me know what you think!**

**Oh, and if you guys wanna do me a HUGE favour and check out this short Harry Potter inspired duelling film, it would be much appreciated! It's actually amazing!**

**.com/watch?v=CnzlUKX_PTk ~ Thanks in advance!**

**Love, Anna-Cate xxx**


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